as in island
a ring-shaped land mass surrounded by water and made of coral
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Recent Examples of atoll
The airport is expected to serve as a major boost for the atoll’s 1,000 residents, who currently rely on an infrequent, multi-day transport ship—also provided through Chinese assistance—to reach the nearest runway and access flights to other parts of the state and beyond.
—
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
The last major test While the Marshall Islands hasn’t seen a nuclear test since 1958 – the current US test site is underground in Nevada – the last test in the Pacific was in 1996, by France, one of 193 tests Paris conducted at South Pacific atolls over 30 years.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
On a tiny atoll in the Indian Ocean, there lives a flightless bird called the Aldabra rail.
—Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025
The Italian retailer — which boasts flagships in Milan, Lugano, Switzerland, and Ibiza, Spain — has opened a temporary space inside the Patina Maldives luxury hospitality venue on Fari Islands, part of the North Malé atoll.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atoll
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
The last major test While the Marshall Islands hasn’t seen a nuclear test since 1958 – the current US test site is underground in Nevada – the last test in the Pacific was in 1996, by France, one of 193 tests Paris conducted at South Pacific atolls over 30 years.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
On a tiny atoll in the Indian Ocean, there lives a flightless bird called the Aldabra rail.
—Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025
The Italian retailer — which boasts flagships in Milan, Lugano, Switzerland, and Ibiza, Spain — has opened a temporary space inside the Patina Maldives luxury hospitality venue on Fari Islands, part of the North Malé atoll.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atoll
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atoll
Noun
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Lutnick, who appeared in about 10 emails in the Epstein files, has acknowledged having lunch with his family at Epstein’s private island in 2012.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
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Trump suggested in the aftermath of that raid that military action in Cuba might not be necessary because the island’s economy was weak enough — particularly in the absence of oil shipments from Venezuela that stopped after Maduro was taken into custody — to soon collapse on its own.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Cayo Falcones is a cay, or small island, off Cuba’s north coast, near Corralillo, a rural town in the Villa Clara province of Cuba.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
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Beyond its unique wildlife, the uninhabited cay offers white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and excellent snorkeling.—
Madeline Weinfield,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Bocas Town, as it’s known, is also the gateway to the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, made up of nine islands and more than 200 tiny islets.—
John Bowe,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
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Traces of Denmark’s 250-year imperial reign are still visible on St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John and the smattering of tiny islets that today make up the U.S. Virgin Islands.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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AndBeyond has owned Mnemba Island Lodge, a mile-wide private island ringed by a coral reef, since 1997.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
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For 20 years, Rosales, the eco-tourism activist, has witnessed the decline of the coral reef and says any development is going to have an impact.—
Natalie Leticia Gallón,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atoll.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atoll. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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